Scottish Citylink

[Scotrail88]

I notice the Portsmouth service is away from the Megabus changes

Thought it was a decent used service.

Is there a list of mega bus / citylink reductions as only just been the statement of service in England only and doesn’t seem to be accurate.

 

[Highland050261]

I notice the Portsmouth service is away from the Megabus changes

Thought it was a decent used service.

Is there a list of mega bus / citylink reductions as only just been the statement of service in England only and doesn’t seem to be accurate.

Don't believe there's any citylink reductions.

 

[route101]

Used the 900 service yesterday. Services were delayed due to traffic coming into the bus station. Had a single axle Parks Elite on the way to Edinburgh, noticed a few of these on the 900. These Elites are usually on the 902. Waited a while for the 900 to turn up at Edinburgh Bus Station due to traffic. Stagecoach Panorama turned up but we broke down at the zoo. Are these Panoramas proving unreliable?

 

[nick291]

Used the 900 service yesterday. Services were delayed due to traffic coming into the bus station. Had a single axle Parks Elite on the way to Edinburgh, noticed a few of these on the 900. These Elites are usually on the 902. Waited a while for the 900 to turn up at Edinburgh Bus Station due to traffic. Stagecoach Panorama turned up but we broke down at the zoo. Are these Panoramas proving unreliable?

Could explain why one or two Stagecoach examples have been exiled to Oxford?

 

[Vectron383]

There are certainly a lot of substitutions on the 900 and I remember all sorts of buses playing the route in the last few years. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they were facing reliability issues.

 

[GusB]

Used the 900 service yesterday. Services were delayed due to traffic coming into the bus station. Had a single axle Parks Elite on the way to Edinburgh, noticed a few of these on the 900. These Elites are usually on the 902. Waited a while for the 900 to turn up at Edinburgh Bus Station due to traffic. Stagecoach Panorama turned up but we broke down at the zoo. Are these Panoramas proving unreliable?

Any coach with a single axle is going to struggle

 

[Ewan M]

Used the 900 service yesterday. Services were delayed due to traffic coming into the bus station. Had a single axle Parks Elite on the way to Edinburgh, noticed a few of these on the 900. These Elites are usually on the 902. Waited a while for the 900 to turn up at Edinburgh Bus Station due to traffic. Stagecoach Panorama turned up but we broke down at the zoo. Are these Panoramas proving unreliable?

The Stagecoach Panos on the 900 should be getting replaced with new Volvo 9700DDs in the new year

 

[Spsf3232]

Used the 900 service yesterday. Services were delayed due to traffic coming into the bus station. Had a single axle Parks Elite on the way to Edinburgh, noticed a few of these on the 900. These Elites are usually on the 902. Waited a while for the 900 to turn up at Edinburgh Bus Station due to traffic. Stagecoach Panorama turned up but we broke down at the zoo. Are these Panoramas proving unreliable?

It's not uncommon when there is disruption in Glasgow that buses get swapped around. Its often next bus to come in gets allocated to the next departure be it northbound or 900s. I've also known in the past when it's extreme disruption for stagecoach and parks drivers to drive the other companies vehicles

 

[route101]

Any coach with a single axle is going to struggle

Yes, or double axle should I say!

There are certainly a lot of substitutions on the 900 and I remember all sorts of buses playing the route in the last few years. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they were facing reliability issues.

Funny that the Panoramas will be getting replaced on the AIR route and not as many of them on the 900.

 

[voidwxrranty]

Yes, or double axle should I say!


Funny that the Panoramas will be getting replaced on the AIR route and not as many of them on the 900.

yes. the AIR Panos are to be replaced by yet more I6s Efficients.

 

[InOban]

I thought that the AIR route was operated by West Coast motors?

 

[Ewan M]

yes. the AIR Panos are to be replaced by yet more I6s Efficients.

Bit surprised that the Panos are coming off the AIR route but it seems that passenger numbers aren’t exactly enough to warrant their continuation on the route.

Seemingly these replacement Irizars are meant to be the super high variant for extra luggage capacity

 

[Stena Galloway]

Bit surprised that the Panos are coming off the AIR route but it seems that passenger numbers aren’t exactly enough to warrant their continuation on the route.

Seemingly these replacement Irizars are meant to be the super high variant for extra luggage capacity

That's not the case, the Panoramas are an oddball in the WCM fleet and are now hitting the 5 year old mark. To cover for the reduced capacity of the Irizars the AIR service will change to a 20 minute frequency.

 

[Dfatcontroller]

That's not the case, the Panoramas are an oddball in the WCM fleet and are now hitting the 5 year old mark. To cover for the reduced capacity of the Irizars the AIR service will change to a 20 minute frequency.

It's only an "on paper" reduction in capacity as the AIR is frequently at least 40% Irizar operated anyway!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Does anyone know what sort of reliability problems the panorama are having? Can't say I've always been a huge fan of them, but still nonetheless shame to see vehicles of this age given trouble

 

[route101]

It's only an "on paper" reduction in capacity as the AIR is frequently at least 40% Irizar operated anyway!

Yes, noticed that. The AIR service does get busy though, lots of people book it in advance via Megabus. They often call pre booked passengers first now on Citylink services.

 

[Volvodart]

I see Citylink in Aberdeen are now using handheld ticket machines rather than the ones which used to be on the coaches.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

I see Citylink in Aberdeen are now using handheld ticket machines rather than the ones which used to be on the coaches.

They'll all be the Transmach machines on the buses shortly so it'll have something to do with it, VIX machines will all be gone soon.

 

[LiviCrazy]

Couple of quick questions that hopefully someone knows.

When do tickets go on sale for June? Presumably it is when the summer timetable is announced.

Secondly, if travelling Balloch to Oban and then Oban to Glasgow a few days later, could you buy a return ticket from Glasgow? Is there any way of letting them know this if you can? The return fare is significantly less than the two singles.

 

[computerSaysNo]

if travelling Balloch to Oban and then Oban to Glasgow a few days later, could you buy a return ticket from Glasgow? Is there any way of letting them know this if you can? The return fare is significantly less than the two singles.

I would buy your Balloch Return and when you get on the bus coming back tell the driver that you've bought it to Balloch but you're actually going to Glasgow - they'll either charge you just the top up fare, or just wave you on and say what you've already paid is fine as it is.

 

[Spsf3232]

Couple of quick questions that hopefully someone knows.

When do tickets go on sale for June? Presumably it is when the summer timetable is announced.

Secondly, if travelling Balloch to Oban and then Oban to Glasgow a few days later, could you buy a return ticket from Glasgow? Is there any way of letting them know this if you can? The return fare is significantly less than the two singles.

Very much doubt they will let you do that as if you try and use a Glasgow to Oban return and get on at balloch you will 99% find out your seat has been resold as a no show.

There's still a remote possibility they can make a note on the booking, but that's only if you call them up.

I would buy your Balloch Return and when you get on the bus coming back tell the driver that you've bought it to Balloch but you're actually going to Glasgow - they'll either charge you just the top up fare, or just wave you on and say what you've already paid is fine as it is.

Don't do this.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Citylink fares to rise by 4.6% from 6 January:

From 6 January 2025, fares across our network will rise by an average of 4.6%.

Within the changes are several price freezes, including the below routes which will see fares remain at the current price.

-Glasgow and Dundee, Perth and Stirling

-Edinburgh and Dundee.

-Glasgow and Edinburgh (day return fare frozen at £10)

https://www.citylink.co.uk/press-releases/our-fares-are-changing/

Expected, but a day return between Glasgow and Edinburgh remaining at £10 is a bargain.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Period return. Not such good value but still a world away from the train which for the duration and distance and level of service offered is quite frankly some of the worst value for money out there on the public transport network. The day return however is a complete bargain. It's the rural area passengers that I feel sorry for who are reliant on CityLink services as either the only local bus option or one of of a limited number of options
That said, if we continue to see the kind of investment we've seen in routes and services and vehicles over the last few years, then these have to be paid for somehow and it's not quite as hard to tolerate as prices going up on a network that has clearly not seen any investment for ages like some local or inter-urban bus networks in England for example

 

[LiviCrazy]

I would buy your Balloch Return and when you get on the bus coming back tell the driver that you've bought it to Balloch but you're actually going to Glasgow - they'll either charge you just the top up fare, or just wave you on and say what you've already paid is fine as it is.

Very much doubt they will let you do that as if you try and use a Glasgow to Oban return and get on at balloch you will 99% find out your seat has been resold as a no show.

There's still a remote possibility they can make a note on the booking, but that's only if you call them up.

Don't do this.

Thanks both

 

[route101]

Citylink fares to rise by 4.6% from 6 January:

https://www.citylink.co.uk/press-releases/our-fares-are-changing/

Expected, but a day return between Glasgow and Edinburgh remaining at £10 is a bargain.

Day return on Citylink 900 beats Flixbus hands down. I took the Flixbus today back from Edinburgh and the fare goes from £5.49 to £20.49 close to departure. I was lucky I got the cheaper fare and it was booked within hour or so of departure. A girl was buying a ticket on boarding the flixbus and the driver told her its cheaper to get the citylink than pay £20.49 fare on the 090.

I recall there was day fares to Dundee and Aberdeen but I think its one way fares now.

 

[Blindtraveler]

That's very good of the driver telling her that. Some wouldn't and people would simply get ripped off because they've heard of flicks as a brand because of it. S. Tech driven booking platform, etc, in the same way that people often get ripped off for local private hire taxi journeys by using Uber, when in fact a standard metered taxi would be a lot less London accepted of course

 

[markymark2000]

Day return on Citylink 900 beats Flixbus hands down. I took the Flixbus today back from Edinburgh and the fare goes from £5.49 to £20.49 close to departure. I was lucky I got the cheaper fare and it was booked within hour or so of departure. A girl was buying a ticket on boarding the flixbus and the driver told her its cheaper to get the citylink than pay £20.49 fare on the 090.

Almost all onboard fares for coaches in Scotland are really high because that is what the concessionary reimbursement is based off. The online fare isn't taken into account. Ember did an article about it a while back (see this forum post about it https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/ember-electric-coach-service.192935/page-14#post-6960222)

 

[Blindtraveler]

Which I suppose opens an entire can of worms about should coach travel in Scotland be part of the concessionary scheme on certain corridors at least, obviously, I acknowledge that there are some places where a scheduled coach service is the only form of public transport and these should naturally be included, but I can't go from Kent to London on National Express with my English concession card for example.

This is of course very much off topic for this thread and would be an interesting talking point elsewhere though

 

[route101]

Yesterday I sampled my first Citylink Volvo Double Decker. Pretty much the same as the Stagecoach coaches except with tray tables. The driver sold me a day return as its cheaper than the single now. The driver put some effort into his announcements with details of calling points and connecting services and all there calling points from Glasgow Buchanan Station which was impressive.

 

[Buzby]

Which I suppose opens an entire can of worms about should coach travel in Scotland be part of the concessionary scheme on certain corridors at least

Er, it is - and always has been. If you mean ‘should it continue’? That would be political suicide.